Hepatitis C (Hansard, 30 June 2003)

§ Tim Loughton
To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he will collect comparative treatment rates for hepatitis C from health services of the developed world; and if he will make a statement; [121225]
(2) if he will undertake a study of best practice in (a) screening for and (b) treating hepatitis C within the developed world; [121226]
147W
(3) what requests for information, advice or assistance on best practice with regard to treatment of hepatitis C he has made to countries with higher rates of treatment of hepatitis C. [121227]

§ Miss Melanie Johnson
The Department published its consultation document, "Hepatitis C Strategy for England", in August 2002, with proposals to improve the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of hepatitis C. The strategy was developed with a multi-disciplinary steering group, membership of which included a range of health care professionals, academics who were experts in this field, and stakeholder voluntary organisation representatives. In developing the strategy, we took account of how other countries have tackled issues relating to hepatitis C.
We intend to publish an action plan to take forward implementation of the hepatitis C strategy. This will form part of a blood-borne viruses action plan, as proposed in the Chief Medical Officer's infectious diseases strategy, "Getting Ahead of the Curve".

§ Tim Loughton
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of patients suffering from florid hepatitis C are treated under National Institute for Clinical Excellence guidelines. [121228]

§ Miss Melanie Johnson
I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to my hon. Friend the Member for Bassetlaw (John Mann), by the then Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health on 5 December 2002,Official Report, column 963–64W.

§ Tim Loughton
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he will take to reduce nosocomial transmission of hepatitis C. [121229]

§ Miss Melanie Johnson
Measures are already in place to prevent the transmission of hepatitis C via blood transfusions or receipt of blood products.
We have produced guidance to assist the national health service in reducing the small risk of nosocomial transmission of hepatitis C through other transmission routes including: Protection against Infection with Blood-borne Viruses: Guidance for Clinical Health Care Workers"—www.doh.gov.uk/chcguid 1 (April 1998) The epic Project: Developing National Evidence-based Guidelines for Preventing Healthcare Associated Infections"—www.doh.gov.uk/hai/epic (January 2001) 'Commissioned and Funded by the Department of Health' Health Service Circular 2002/010: Hepatitis C Infected Health Care Workers"—www.doh.gov.uk/hepatitisc (August 2002) Infection Control Standard"—http://212.57.233.60/Standards/docs/Infection%20Control%202002.pdf (2002) Good Practice Guidelines for Renal Dialysis/Transplantation Units: prevention and control of blood-borne virus infection"—www.doh.gov.uk/cmo/renalguide (September 2002) Health Clearance for Serious Communicable Diseases: New Health Care Workers" (draft guidance for consultation—www.doh.gov.uk/healthclear (January 2003)
We also fund the Health Protection Agency's (HPA) Communicable Disease Surveillance Centre to carry out epidemiological surveillance of occupational exposure of health care workers.